Various types of systems can benefit from monitoring and control networks. For example, electrical power distribution systems can benefit from monitoring and control networks that can rapidly identify and correct problems. Such a monitoring and control network can be implemented using a variety of techniques, including for example, a wireless communications system. If rapid identification and correction of problems in the monitored system is desired, it is desirable for the wireless communication system to provide high data rates and low latency.
Present trends in wireless communications systems are to provide increasingly high data rates through the use of wider bandwidth channels. For example, cellular systems have migrated from channel bandwidths of tens of kilohertz (kHz) to channel bandwidths of one megahertz (MHz) and greater to provide higher data rates.
Unfortunately, in some industries, wideband channels are not available for use in a wireless communication network. For example, in some jurisdictions, systems must operate within legacy narrowband channel allocations of less than 100 kHz (e.g., 25 kHz or even 12.5 kHz). Providing desired data rates and latency using such narrowband channels is difficult or impossible.